Rewrite
by Nautica7mk
Summary: When Superman returned to Earth, he found that the world and everything he's known has changed... and so did he.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Rewrite

**Author**: Nadia Mack

**Rated**: K+

**Disclaimer**: I Own Nothing

**Summary**: Follows the storyline of Superman Returns with only one difference: Clark didn't come back the same bumbling, accident-prone reporter as he left.

**Author's** **Notes**: Thank you Barbara for taking a look at this new story.

Clark Kent stepped out of the elevators and walked towards the bullpen he had left behind five years ago. The air was electric, sounds of former and new co-workers bustling around everywhere to meet deadlines, people yelling, talking on the phone, speaking out loud – it was like he was finally coming home.

It almost overwhelmed him until he saw Jimmy Olsen halfway into the chaotic arena, his checkered sweater and bowtie easily identifying him in the mass of people.

Maneuvering his way through the throngs of people like an experienced city man, he quickly spotted another employee hitting Jimmy's desk with the fairly loud thud, pushing his expensive looking camera off the desk, but before it could touch the floor, Clark reached out and caught it in midair.

"That's just great," Jimmy threw his hands in the air in agitation and then spun around on his chair. "Look what you did…" at the sight of his former friend and co-worker looking back on him, the irritated look on the young man's face turned into a full out smile, which was followed by great excitement.

"Mister Clark!" Jimmy pulled Clark into a hug. "I mean, Mister Kent, how's it going? It's so good to have you back." Then, he looked like he just remembered something. "You know what, stay right here. There's something that I want to show you."

"Jimmy, could you tell me where Lois is?" But the photographer was already gone.

Chuckling, Clark turned around to take in the atmosphere and gave a moment to himself to think about the past. It was nice to know that Jimmy hadn't changed. While his age clearly showed his place in adulthood, Jimmy still displayed that youthful exuberance that always made him a pleasant company to be around.

At the corner of his eye, he spotted Editor-in-Chief Perry White standing near his office.

Clark raised his hand and gave him a hearty wave.

"Hey, Mr. White! I'd like to thank you for giving me my job back."

"Don't thank me," Perry responded flippantly. "Thank Norman Palmer for dying."

Clark raised his eyebrows as Jimmy joined him, carrying what looked like half-eaten cake. "It was his time," Jimmy said awkwardly but then quickly thrust the cake in front of him, the words 'Welcome Home –lark' written on top of the chocolate icing. "What do you think, CK?"

"Um… that looks delicious," Clark replied, keeping the amusement on his face from becoming too prominent.

Jimmy looked satisfied, placing the cake down on a nearby desk.

"It's really good to have you back, CK," Jimmy said genuinely before being called upon by a demanding reporter, leaving Clark alone to his thoughts once again. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and surveyed his work area when he spotted something familiar. Out of all the desks stationed on this floor, it was easy to pinpoint exactly to whom one desk belonged.

Taking a few steps forward, he saw Lois Lane's name on a plaque that said 'Pulitzer.' Clark's heart swelled with pride at her accomplishment knowing that it was well deserved.

That was until he saw what she won it for.

Looking closer, he read 'Why the World Doesn't Need Superman' and suddenly, everything was different. He reached out and grabbed one of the frames on her desk and stared dumbly at the family staring back at him.

There was Lois, a little boy, and a man in the photograph that he didn't recognize.

"Ha! Yeah! He looks just like his mom," Jimmy said over his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts. "Already takes after her too, especially when it comes to getting into trouble."

"Mother?"

"Oh, yeah, I wasn't sure if you knew that. Fearless reporter Lois Lane is a mommy." At those words, Clark involuntary broke the glass on the frame. Seeing Jimmy's horror-filled-face, he let him take the photo from his hand, gently placing it back on her desk.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. She's got tons."

Then another revelation occurred to him.

"Wait, she's married?"

"Yeah," Jimmy immediately answered but then regretted it. Everyone in the office knew how much Clark Kent had a crush on Lois Lane. "Well, actually, no. It's sort of a prolonged engagement, but don't ask Ms. Lane when they're tying the knot 'cause she hates that question."

"Oh," was his only response while his heart sank at the shocking realization that any future he could have had with the woman he loved was no longer a possibility.

Seeing his good friend looking like he got hit with a freight train, Jimmy suggested they take a short break and head out to get a couple of drinks across from work. Office rules be damned.

* * *

Back at the _Daily Planet_, after a dreary couple of weeks in the news front, Superman's sudden appearance and rescue of the Boeing 777 shuttle after an EMP wave shut off Metropolis's power grid and all electrical devices in the Eastern seaboard had everybody talking.

After a huge conference meeting with all the reporters and photographers, Clark went back to his desk as he longingly watched Lois talk to their editor in his office when somebody quite small interrupted him.

"Hi!"

Clark looked down, surprised at himself for being caught off-guard, but when he faced the little boy, he was immediately struck at how familiar he looked, but then he realized who he was; it was the young boy he had seen in Lois's photo.

Her son.

Clark bent his leg slightly so he could sit on his desk. "Hello."

"I've never seen you around before. I'm Jason," he said, lifting his inhaler to his mouth and breathed in as he squeezed a puff out. "Who are you?"

"My name is Clark Kent," he replied, noting the close similarities Jason had with his mother. "I'm a friend of your mom's from before you were born."

"Really?" he asked truly surprised. "She never talked about you."

"No?" but Clark wasn't surprised; he wouldn't talk about himself either after all the times he made a fool of himself. "Never?" he added simply because a part of him hoped she did, but from the shake of Jason's head, didn't.

"Jason, sweetie, here you are." Lois pulled her son into a hug. What followed afterwards was an array of one-word questions about the medications Jason was taking, leaving Clark momentarily puzzled about the health of her child. Other than the inhaler he held, he didn't look unhealthy.

"He's a bit fragile," Lois said. "But he's going to grow up and be strong like his daddy, right?"

"Right," Jason agreed with a cute smile.

"He's beautiful, Lois." As much as it hurt to let her go, he meant that with all of his heart.

"Thank you," Lois said, and she finally looked up to take a good look at her former partner, colleague and at one point, rival. She couldn't quite figure out what was different. Maybe it was the different glasses he wore; gone were those god-awful black thick-rimmed glasses which were replaced with a more modern titanium frame. His suit, normally made of old-fashioned tweed, was dark and classic, bringing out his remarkably handsome features.

There was definitely something different about him.

After an awkward moment, Lois took the initiative and moved closer to give him a hug to welcome him back, and when she did, she felt the tension in his embrace relax. She didn't quite know what to make of this new Clark so different from the one she'd known five years ago.

"So do you," he whispered in her ear, letting her know in his own way that he was telling her she looked beautiful too.

"Uh… thanks," She replied, surprised.

"So…" he began. "You're a mother."

"I am," she smiled, staring proudly at Jason. "You should tell me how your trip went, though. Where'd you go, what'd you see," then she lightly tapped his right arm. "Meet anyone special?"

A wistful smile came over him until the sight of her fiancée getting closer squashed it.

"Not really."

"Hey there, little guy." Richard stood between Lois as he picked up Jason. The engaged couple briefly talked about Perry's decision about taking her off the blackout story and pushing her towards the Superman one. "By the way, Clark, this is Richard. Richard, this is Clark."

Richard moved Jason to his other arm to free his right hand. "Richard White." He shook Clark's hand.

"Richard's an assistant editor who basically saved our international section. He's also a pilot and he loves horror movies."

Clark didn't quite know why it was necessary for him to know that but returned the description with a faux smile as she continued.

"And Clark is, well… he's Clark."

"It's good to finally meet you, I've heard so much."

Clark is surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, Jimmy just won't shut up about you." Lois laughed and Clark felt like super speeding out of there.

Suddenly, coming home didn't feel like a good idea.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Clark?" Lois called out from her desk where she was typing furiously for a deadline due in five minutes. A week after New Krypton was thrown into space by Superman, Earth would never be the same, and that meant endless stories to write about. "I need his notes for the article we'll be working on next."

"Haven't seen him," Richard said as he walked up to her from behind. "Jimmy!" he yelled. "Has Clark called?"

"I don't think he has a cell phone yet, Mr. White," Jimmy replied.

Lois sighed. Once she pressed the 'send' button to file the story with her editor, she looked over her shoulder for Jimmy.

"Where's he staying?"

Jimmy took a moment to jot it down before running up to Lois and giving it to her.

"It's a motel."

"Yeah, it doesn't look like he found a place yet. I don't blame him, after what happened with Lex Luthor."

"Thanks, Jimmy." She turned to Richard. "I'll be home by six; I'm going to see what's taking Clark so long to get to work."

"Okay."

* * *

"Sweetie, you need to lie down," insisted Martha. "You've been flying all over the East Coast, the world will understand if you take just a few hours to recuperate." At the sight of her only son struggling, she immediately rushed to her side. "Son, everything will be okay."

Clark's tired eyes met his mother's soothing ones. Her strength and faith in him never seemed falter, even in the face of great adversity, she was always there, cheering him on and never wavering and he wondered every day what he did to deserve her.

"I thought the pain would be gone by now." His hand massaged the spot on his back where Luthor had stabbed him with the Kryptonite. "I can feel the scar," he gulped. "It's still there."

"Don't let it scare you."

"There's so much more at stake, now," he said, his words confusing Martha just a teensy bit.

"What do you mean?"

Clark realized he spoke out loud, but he knew this conversation was coming no matter how long he tried to prolong it.

"I – I don't really know how to say it."

"Take your time," she said supportively, and his love for his mother grew another ten fold.

"It's about Lois…" he ran a hand through his unruly hair; he had just got back from yet another rescue. The perspiration that ran down his face was proof of his exhaustion. "I found out about something that I… well… I didn't really think was possible."

Knowing her son too well, she remained quiet in order to let him continue on his own terms.

"Her son… Jason…" he took a deep breath before revealing the rest. "Well… he's my son, too."

The gasp it elicited from his mother was exactly what he expected, but it didn't make it any easier for him to explain.

"Clark…"

"I didn't know," he cut her off abruptly, jumping immediately to his own defense. "If I had known, I never would've left." Regret filled his voice and it broke Martha's heart. "His name is Jason. He's four and a half years old. He looks like his mother."

"I saw the resemblance," she said, surprising her son. "I was there when they admitted her to the hospital where you recovered."

Clark nodded. "Did you meet her?"

"I didn't get a chance to," she said, remembering that afternoon so vividly in her mind. Her heart called out to her son even when her voice couldn't. "It was quite crazy over there. Now I wished I did, if only just to introduce myself."

"I don't know what to do," Clark sighed.

"Have you thought about telling her?"

"Every day."

"What's stopping you?"

"Her family."

"She isn't married."

"Mom!" Clark was more than a bit shocked to hear that from his mother. "How did you even know that she isn't…"

"She's a reporter, sweetie," Martha chuckled softly. "And I've learned to channel surf quite well. The news made it a priority to point out that Lois Lane is still in the market after your return."

"She's engaged," he reminded her.

"I know, sweetheart. But that doesn't change what you have to do."

* * *

As soon as Clark fell asleep, Martha couldn't help but dwell on what she had learned today. She was a grandmother, and for five whole years, she didn't know. She knew it wasn't her son's fault, but she couldn't help but feel the loss of so much time between them and the time they could've shared with him.

Martha was taken out of her deep-filled thoughts when she heard a knock on her door.

Wondering who it could be considering that nobody knew where Clark was staying, she looked into the peep hole and was shocked to find Lois Lane behind it.

She opened the door. "Miss Lane?"

"Yeah, that's right," Lois said, looking at the crumpled piece of paper that held her on-and-off partner's address and then looked back towards the kind-looking woman. "I'm sorry for bothering you, I think I got the wrong room." When she turned to walk away, the old woman called out her name.

"Miss Lane, are you looking for my son?"

Lois stopped, and then turned back.

"Clark… isn't feeling well," Martha provided, her voice laced with genuine concern that Lois quickly noted.

"Is he all right?"

"Would you like to come in and see?" Martha opened the door wider to let Lois in. She couldn't force her son to come clean, but that didn't meant she wasn't going to stand by and let opportunities pass by. Besides, the young woman looked really concerned for her son's well-being and that earned plenty of points from his mother.

Lois hesitated for a moment, but she was anxious to see that he was okay. After the week she'd had, with Superman's return and the fact that she revealed her most precious secret to him when she thought he was going to die, well, she really didn't want to think about losing anyone else.

She didn't know what to expect when she walked into the hotel room, but the sight of Clark Kent sleeping on a twin bed was not what she expected. After knowing him for two years before he left, she didn't think she ever saw him asleep before, not even to take a half-hour nap at the office whenever they were working late.

"Is it the flu?"

"Possibly, this is the first time he's been sick since he was elementary school."

"That healthy, huh?" Lois smiled.

"I'm going to step out and grab some groceries. Would you mind if you just stayed here with him for a few minutes while I go across the street?"

Lois debated her answer before she agreed.

For the first time, she was alone with Clark in a most intimate setting. While he slept, she picked up his new glasses and inspected it. He sure was different from the mild-mannered man she remembered.

"_Noooo… don't…_" Lois turned at the sound of his troubled voice. She moved to his side and found that he was still asleep, but dreaming. He was thrashing a bit, his heading turning from left to right.

"Shhhhh…" she tried to soothe, her hand pushing his loose strands of hair away from his face.

His look momentarily sent a wave of familiarity she couldn't describe. There was something recognizable about the way he looked beneath her fingers.

"Clark," she whispered softly.

Her voice clearly came through but his eyes remained closed. "Lois," he said, his hand grasping hers and squeezing it lightly.

"It's going to be okay." Comforting him now when she'd never done it before was strange at first, but after becoming a mother, she had quickly adapted. She reached for a wet towel on a table next to his bed, the glasses she placed on her lap falling to the ground.

"Oops," she muttered softly. She bent to pick it up when she noticed something peculiar. Opening his glasses, she pulled it up to her face to look through the lenses. It wasn't a prescription. They were completely see-through.

_What the…_

"Lois."

Lois jerked back at the sound of his voice.

"Clark, you're awake."

With a confused and then horrified expression, his eyes darted away from her and moved around the room as if he was searching for something else until it occurred to her that he was looking for someone.

"Your mom went to the store, she'll be right back."

He faced her but avoided her eyes.

"You met my mom?"

Lois thought it was an odd question, but shrugged it off regardless. "She asked me if I could look after you for a few minutes. I stopped by to ask for your notes, but I didn't know you were sick." She handed him his glasses, she veered totally off-topic. "Pretending to be someone you aren't, Smallville? I'm disappointed."

"What?" he swallowed hard, reluctantly taking his glasses from her and putting them on.

"They're not a prescription," she pointed to them, which he suddenly put on like they were a lifeline or something. "You're a lot different than you used to be, less of a wimp and more like a man that can stand on two feet." A smile suddenly appeared on her face. "How you managed to scoop me several times when you first came on board was always a mystery to me until now."

When he realized his secret identity remained safe, his faced turned sheepish. "I don't know what you're talking about, Lois."

"You're secret is safe with me, if that's what you're worried about." She should be angry that he played her for a fool all those years, but instead, she was quite impressed and more than a little curious to learn what ticked beneath his hidden intelligence.

Clark was taken aback by her relaxed attitude. "You're not upset."

"Why should I be?"

"I lied to you," he said, stating the obvious.

"And I gave you a hard time and you never complained." She pulled out a seat and sat beside him. "Consider us even."

"Why are you being nice to me?"

Lois laughed. "Is that how I always came across to you? Oh, God. I'd apologize for that if I didn't have so much fun busting your chops." She wondered why it was suddenly so easy to talk to him. Perhaps it was nostalgia after not seeing him for so many years. If she couldn't have this kind of conversation with Superman, it was nice to have it with Clark. "And my partner smiles," she carefully observed.

His smile fell but it only made him more adorable. "Partner?"

"Oh, that's right. You've been MIA at the office. When Perry saw that you and I were working the same story, he paired us up. It'll be like old times."

Somehow, he couldn't help but imagine that this was going to be a lot different than the old times. When he woke up to find Lois beside him, he thought he was dreaming. When he focused even further, he realized she was really there. In his hotel room, his mother clearly nowhere in sight.

He thought she knew. That she discovered who he was.

A part of him wished she did.

But then something remarkable happened. Instead of calling him out of his lies, she accepted it at face value. She took the good with the bad, and instinctively knowing that even though he kept up a clumsy façade that wasn't really him, she didn't burn him at the stake for it. He thought maybe she even found it endearing.

That, he totally didn't expect.

**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes**: Thank you everyone who read and reviewed. I'm following the theory in which Lois Lane simply sees Clark and Superman as two separate people. She's seen and been through too much to believe otherwise. Also, this story was inspired from _thedeadparrot's_ "Love Will Come Through." I just liked it so much and thought it'd be interesting to get Lois to look at Clark differently and at the same time, it doesn't compromise his identity. Now my Clark is vastly different from that story so I'm feeling good about not copying. lol

**Chapter 2 **

He wanted to go to her, tell her that everything was going to be okay only he knew he couldn't. Just watching her from afar, the touch of make-up that covered the dark bags underneath her eyes was cleverly concealed from everyone's observation but his own. If only he could tell her just how much he cared.

So he knew that showing in words how he felt was out of the question, but that didn't prevent him from expressing them through his actions.

"Black and two sugars," Clark offered, holding out a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of his tired partner.

She grabbed it without even looking up. "Thanks, Clark."

"Maybe you should relax."

"I'll relax when I'm dead," she replied irritably. Sighing deeply, she looked up to her partner and apologized, her fourth apology in one day. It was beginning to make her sound like… well… Clark. "I'm sorry. Luthor's out there and I can't stop until I find him."

"We."

"What?"

"Until _we_ find him," he repeated as he reached behind her chair to tug her coat loose from her back. "But right now, you're exhausted. And when we _do_ find him, I'm going to need you at full strength."

Lois smiled to him gratefully. His care and level-headedness always complimented her quick and impatient habits. When he got better from his flu a few days ago, it turned out that even time hadn't harmed their partnership and their ability to sniff out a good story together, especially one that didn't involve Lex Luthor. Their ideas flowed into one another so easily that she found herself appreciative to have him back on the team and in her life.

"Fine, but you're buying," she conceded, snatching her coat from his grasp before he even got to do the gentlemanly thing and assist her with it.

Instead of feeling offended or hurt, Clark sent her a soft smile and Lois thought that whoever won this man's heart would have to be a very special woman indeed.

* * *

"You're still working." Clark quickly removed the file folder of Lex's past account history and placed it underneath one arm while the other took a huge bite out of the hamburger he had just ordered.

Lois groaned in dissatisfaction. "That's my file," she said childishly.

"And you're starving."

"How do you know if I'm hungry or not?" she said incredulously, slumping her shoulders as her pride debated whether or not to eat the veggie burger Clark had ordered for her on her plate.

Clark turned off his super hearing and gave her a sheepish smile. Having Lois see him as an equal partner and friend nearly changed every part of their dynamic. She no longer looked down on him like he was a second-rate reporter or something you'd scrape off under your shoe. She came to him for advice and she'd listen as he gave it.

It was new, different and totally intoxicating.

If he had known back then that this is how their relationship was going to be, he would've dropped his shy act from the beginning.

"If you don't mind me asking, how's Jason?" he asked casually, trying his best not to look too eager.

"Jason's fine," she said and then a moment later, her eyes began to shine. "Got another A on his science quiz, I swear, I have no idea where he gets it from."

Clark smiled, believing Jason had inherited the trait from his paternal grandfather, Jor-El. English and history was more his liking than math and science.

"He's very smart for a child that hasn't turned five yet."

Lois shrugged. "In spite of his medical problems, he's always been smarter than the other kids. His teacher says that Jason comprehends a lot faster than most kids, and Richard thought it'd be a better if he skipped kindergarten and head straight to first grade. Personally, I'd prefer my son to enjoy making friends his age and learning to listen to the teacher when she says _nap time_."

"That must make raising him a lot more challenging," he assumed yet was genuinely interested to learn more.

"I wouldn't know," she shrugged. "He's my first child." Then it seemed like a memory suddenly entered her mind and she craved sharing it with him.

For the remainder of their lunch time, Lois began to tell Clark her early days as a mother from Jason's first words and then steps. It was like a volcano of stories from the past erupted inside her.

As for Clark, he took it all in. Every memory she shared, every instance. He could imagine it in his mind so vividly that he had to force the sad truth that he never got to experience it with her away from his thoughts. Sometimes, her stories, which can be so minuscule, were so astonishing for him.

"Oh my God, the time!"

Her sudden change of topic threw him off guard that he could barely react appropriately.

"Huh?"

"We've been here for two hours, Perry's gonna kill us."

Sad that it had to end, he pushed himself to agree with her.

"I'm sure it'll be okay, Lois."

She rolled her eyes. "Always the optimist, Kent." She grabbed her coat and notes and then rushed to the exit leaving Clark to hastily drop three tens on the table before he could run out and catch up to her.

* * *

"Lois, where's my Superman exclusive?"

"Exclusive?"

"Superman is your area of expertise," Perry reminded her for the umpteenth time.

"So you keep reminding me," Lois shot back, irritated by the constant reminders that Superman was indeed her subject. "I can't keep interviewing him, Perry. I'm tired of it. Give me something else. What about the research I'm doing on Luthor?"

" Kent's on that."

Lois's blood boiled. "You're taking me off that case?"

"You have a personal vendetta against the man."

"Personal vendetta?" she scoffed. "The madman kidnapped me and my son. I know him probably a lot better than Superman!"

"If that's the case, work with Superman on it, it'll give you a double-exclusive. We haven't had one of those in a while. It's a win-win situation."

"For you," she muttered underneath her breath as she walked out of his office.

"Is it Superman again?"

Lois sighed not even bothering to look at Clark. "Not only does he want me to get another exclusive on Superman, he brought up the ridiculous notion of working with him. Could you think of anything more impossible?"

Clark stood behind her letting the words sink in. He was already working with her but how was he going to handle being in two places at once? Sometimes, he had to wonder if he was in over his head.

After that, it took a moment for him to collect his thoughts.

"Lois—"

" Clark, I gotta go," she said, interrupting him. "I'm picking up Jason today before I see Richard off at the airport."

Dejected, he nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later then." But like she had done at lunch, she was already gone.

* * *

"You came"

"Did you think I wouldn't?" Superman stepped down onto the solid floor of the Daily Planet roof. "I was flying back from Canada and I saw that you were up here and I thought…" That part wasn't a lie. He indeed was flying back from the north country.

"Have you found Luthor?" she reluctantly asked.

Superman shook his head. "He's off the grid, he could be anywhere now. But I'm still looking. I won't stop until he's found."

"And when you do, what will happen then?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Let's not talk in circles here, Superman." It was remarkable how different talking to Superman about Lex Luthor was different compared to talking about it with Clark. She took a few steps towards him, but stopped and turned to face the city instead of him. "Jason's asthma is gone, the doctor assumed he outgrew it but I know better."

"How is he?"

He didn't have to ask, she knew he watched over them.

"He's afraid to touch his piano, but sometimes, I'd see him practicing the notes with his fingers, so I think he'll overcome it."

"I'm glad."

"You know at night, when he's sleeping, and the lights are off, I can see you in him," she carefully revealed. "Richard suspected that something was off, and I told him the truth. He knows… everything."

Superman let out a weak but understanding smile.

"You did the right thing."

"Did I? I mean, he knew that Jason wasn't his from the start, but he stayed with us anyway. He loved me more than I thought I deserved, and Jason… he's the only father he's ever known. What's going to happen now?" In a sarcastic tone, she added, "Do we call a lawyer and set up visitation rights for you, or are you going to—"

"I would never take him from you or Richard," he said, cutting her off before moving to stand beside her. "I'm not asking anything from you, Lois." His voice was so soft, honest that she felt herself unraveling.

"Sometimes I wished you did," she admitted out loud, surprising him. "I feel maybe it'll be easier if you just told me what you wanted instead of implying it all the time. We've been doing this for years, literally."

"My life isn't…"

"Easy, I know that," she understood. "But I'm not the same person you knew before you left. So much has changed."

"For whatever it's worth, I regret leaving."

"It doesn't mean anything now," she coldly admitted. "When I wrote that the world didn't need Superman, I didn't just do it for the world, I did it for me. Once it finally hit the press, I knew I'd finally let you go."

Superman tried not to react to her words but he found it to be very difficult.

"As much as I wanted to find Krypton, to know that I wasn't alone in this universe, it wasn't Krypton I dreamt about in my sleep… it was you." He closed his eyes and remembered their past. "And Jason… I never thought it was possible, but I can't help but not regret that miracle."

Lois choked out her words. "I don't regret it either."

"I'll stand back."

"What?"

"I won't come between you and your family, Lois," he said decisively, his serious tone hiding his true feelings. "I can't guarantee that I'll stay away from him completely, but I won't do anything that would…"

"Don't," Lois stopped him. "You're Jason's father, okay. I can't just ignore that, and neither would Richard. He's changing, Superman. He's healthier, thank god, but he's becoming more…"

"Like me," he offered with a smile. "When you're ready for me to help him, to teach him how to control his gifts and make it a part of his life, just call out my name and I'll be there."

"You really mean what you're saying, don't you," she said rhetorically.

With a sad smile, Superman looked at her with loving eyes one last time. "I would never lie," he said. "Not about this." He floated off the ground first before flying away faster than a speeding bullet and Lois could do nothing but watch.

* * *

Back at home, Richard wanted to broach the subject he knew might become touchy. Every time they walked into the office together, they'd split up – he would head to see his uncle and Lois would go by Clark's. It didn't bother him at first, until a couple of weeks ago when he heard one of his co-workers remark on the Lane and Kent team.

_"It's like they never left." _

_"Goodbye, promotion. With those two on a story, there's no way in hell my work can compare." _

_"Why does the boss keep pairing those two up together? There are plenty of rookies here who'd benefit from them. They're already stars." _

He heard the stories. The past exploits of Lane and Kent back in the early days when he transferred to the Daily Planet. His uncle Perry would go on and on about them as if they were some great characters off a literary novel. Clark was gone by the time he got there so he never got to form an opinion for himself until five years later.

So much was going on that he never really thought about it until now.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Kent lately."

"Look, can this wait?" Lois said and began reheating some leftovers in the fridge. She hoped he'd drop the subject. She hated it when he cornered her like this.

"I just want to know what's going on," he pressed.

"Nothing is going on," she sighed, taking a bottle of white wine out of the cooler. "Why are you being so paranoid all of the sudden?" she opened the bottle and poured herself a glass. " Clark's a friend, not to mention my partner. We get paid to work long hours so I don't know what the big deal is."

"I just think your better off with a different partner, or maybe go solo like you used to do."

She banged the bottom of the glass on the center kitchen table. "Why do I get the feeling I'm being falsely accused of something?" she said to herself, but loud enough that her fiancé could hear the anger in her voice.

"I'm just saying that I'm uncomfortable seeing you spend so much time together. Look, I understand you two have a history, but you were doing just fine without him so I don't see why that has to change."

"You're joking, right?" Off Richard's very serious face, she sighed. "Of course you're not. I'm telling you, Richard. You've got nothing to fear from Clark. Even if he did feel something, which for the record he doesn't, he would never act on it. He's too much of a gentleman to make a move."

"That's comforting," he said sarcastically.

"Where is all this insecurity suddenly coming from?"

"I thought I knew you well enough that things like these wouldn't bother me, but I was wrong."

"What are you talking about?"

"How long have you known Clark?"

"Richard—"

"Just answer the question, please."

Resigned, "A little over seven years, I think."

"And in those seven years, why haven't you ever mentioned him?"

Lois sighed again, noting the familiar tone in his voice. He was jealous. Richard White was jealous of Clark Kent. After all they've been through; she didn't think things could get even more ludicrous.

"Jimmy was talking about him enough for the both of us, so I never bothered. It wasn't a big secret that we were partners before I met you, Richard. He left, and okay, I admit, it bothered me a little but that was just…"

"Right there," he interrupted her. "It bothered you."

"You don't work with someone that long and not get affected when they leave."

"Like Superman?"

"Like…" she crossed her arms and looked at him disappointingly. "That's a low blow."

"I'm sorry," he apologized genuinely.

"I'm going to bed, and I think I'm going to spend it in the guest room," she said not even looking back at him when she exited the kitchen.

**To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

_"I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, and what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; and I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow; for he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball, and he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all." _

Lois read the lines to herself with a pleasant smile. Next to her was her son, Jason. He was sleeping peacefully through the night. It had been a long and tiring day at work, and she knew that the only thing that could lift her spirits as soon as she stepped out of the office was to see him. When she did, it never failed to put a smile on her face.

"Mommy," Jason mumbled before awakening from his slumber.

"I didn't mean to wake you sweetie, I'm sorry," she said in hushed tones. "Go back to sleep."

Jason rubbed his sleepy eyes with his fisted right hand. Once his vision cleared, he looked towards his mother and noticed the book she held in her hand.

"That's My Shadow," he said with a slightly sleep expression. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to come up and sit next to him on his bed.

Lois was more than happy to oblige.

"How was school?" she asked softly.

"Good," he said simply, taking the book she was reading and opening it up in front of them. After flipping through the pages, he stopped at "The Fly-Away Horse" by Eugene Field and then turned to his mother. "This is my favorite."

"Really?" She read the first couple of lines loud enough so only they could hear. "Oh, a wonderful horse is the Fly-Away Horse – perhaps you have seen him before; perhaps, while you slept, his shadow has swept through the moonlight that floats on the floor."

She looked at Jason with so much love and adoration. Even to this day, she couldn't believe how lucky and blessed she was to have him. "Daddy picked a good one this time."

Jason shook his head. "Daddy didn't get this for me," he corrected, garnering an odd look from his mother.

"From school?" she seconded.

He shook his head again.

"Then where did you get it?"

"Superman," Jason said, whispering his name in her ear.

Lois's eyes widened. "When did he get this for you?" She stared at the book like an archaeologist would when discovering a priceless item.

"I don't know," Jason shrugged, not remembering. "But when he visits he reads some for me."

Lois blinked. It was hard for her to imagine Superman reading her son a bedtime story. Even the thought of it was mind-boggling. She knew he was capable of practically anything, but what she couldn't picture was Superman sitting on a guest chair, his cape draped behind it while he told stories of adventure and happily ever afters.

That alone makes her curious to know more.

"What does he read you, sweetie?"

"He likes The Shadow; he read that to me first. But he said The Frog Prince was his favorite."

Lois raised her eyebrows. "The Frog Prince?" It was the story of a prince cursed to look like a frog until a princess freed him with a kiss. The choice was interesting and it suddenly made her regret that she didn't talk much about literature with him. Maybe then she would have gotten to know him a little better that way.

"Did Superman come see you tonight?"

Jason nodded. "He tucks me into bed when I can't sleep."

"Did you have another nightmare?" Jason shied away from the answer pulling his book to his chest. It was clear to Lois that he didn't want to talk about it, and she couldn't blame him. "It's okay, sweetie, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I love you, mommy."

She let herself cry a little when she heard his words.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Warm. That's how she felt right now. Warm and safe. Changes in her life were happening so fast that sometimes, even when she stopped to see where everything was going she felt overwhelmed. Yet at this moment, she felt at peace.

"Lois," a familiar voice whispered to her.

"No, leave me alone," she mumbled back groggily while spinning around, her face hiding beneath a fluffy pillow.

Then she heard a chuckle and her eyes popped open. With her face still buried under the pillow, "I didn't make it home last night, didn't I?" She remembered taking a break after working late again at the Planet, and then she remembered Clark offering to get their work done at his place after they were kicked out by a couple of electrical engineers doing their system check-up, but then she couldn't remember anything else.

"Nope," was his amused reply.

Lois lifted her head and blinked her eyes a few times until she saw the image of her partner, Clark Kent in all his casual glory coming into perfect view.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Clark sat on the bed, and Lois could feel the new weight on the surface when it rocked a little. "I made you breakfast." He placed the tray Lois didn't even know he had in his hands between them.

Lois could barely think as soon as the smell of bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage and blueberry pancakes invaded her senses. There was even a glass of orange juice, freshly squeezed no doubt, and she thought that she would never get used to her partner treating her like a princess all the time.

"You didn't have to–" but it just looked so good when she eyed the bacon.

"You know you're hungry."

She hated it when he was right.

"What time is it?"

"10:30."

"In the morning?" Lois sighed and hurried off the bed while grabbing a piece of bacon in the process. "Jason–"

"I dropped him off at school already."

Lois stopped. "You did what?"

"He fell asleep while he was coloring," Clark explained as he smiled at the memory. "I didn't want to wake either of you last night so I took him to the guest bedroom while you slept in mine. Your sister stopped by last night to drop off some clothes for him on her way to work. I called to let her know where you were. I hope that was okay."

Lois stood quietly as she listened to him. She wondered if he was always like this: sweet, helpful and completely sincere in everything he did. When she met Richard, she thought no one could be as great and honest as he was (Superman not included) but when she looked at Clark, her partner and friend for so many years, she couldn't help but compare them.

"Thank you, Clark."

The smile on his face grew wide and she decided that it looked really good on him.

"You're welcome."

Then a moment of silence occurred between them before awkwardness snuck in.

"Um… you should eat something before it gets cold."

Lois snapped back to reality. "Oh right. The food." She childishly jumped on the bed and almost ruined her host's bed sheets if he hadn't picked it up in time. "I'm really sorry about that," she apologized meekly.

Clark laughed. "It's okay, no harm done." He placed it back on the bed as soon as she relaxed. "Are you warm enough? I wasn't sure if you were still cold so I put a few blankets here in just in case if you needed them."

"I'm fine." She looked at her food. "Pampered, if you want to be precise."

"My mother taught me well," he shrugged.

"Don't be so modest, Kent. If I knew how to cook besides heating frozen dinners and ordering take-out, I'd throw it in everyone's faces."

"That's because you _can't _cook."

"Minor oversight."

Clark was about to reply when he hears someone calling for help. "I'm going to pick up some things at the store, make yourself at home; I'll be back in like… 15 minutes." He stood up and left before Lois could even say anything.

As much as she enjoyed learning this new side of Clark Kent, there were just some things that wouldn't ever change with him, and frankly, she didn't think she wanted them to.

* * *

Awkward.

Tense.

Uncomfortable.

Silent.

Those were just a few words to describe dinner in the Lane and White household. On and off for the last two or three weeks, she ended up sleeping in the guest room or next to her son just to avoid getting into any arguments with her fiancé whether it be over work or men that included Clark and Superman. She didn't know how it all had started to fall apart.

"Mommy?"

Lois closed the book she was reading aloud and looked at her son. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Are you mad at Daddy?"

She didn't know if she had the strength to lie.

"We're just going through a rough patch, kiddo. Don't you worry about it," she assured giving him a light kiss on the forehead. "Is Superman coming over tonight?" she asked knowing that the mere mention of the superhero would get his mind off things immediately.

Jason's eyes suddenly shined. "I think so."

Lois smiled, scoring. "You really like him, don't you…?" She never thought he wouldn't, but seeing the smile on his little face made her wish things had been different between them. It was becoming all too clear that Superman would make a great father and her heart broke for him knowing he couldn't.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm…"

"Do you love Superman like you love daddy?"

Lois breathed in deeply, surprised by the question but not an all impossible that he would ask it. He has been showing up every other night and it was bound to get Jason curious. She was her son after all.

"I did… once."

Jason frowned. "You don't love him anymore?"

Lois chuckled. "I'll always love him, but…" she combed through her… their son's hair with her fingers and said, "But I'm not in love with him anymore."

"Oh, okay," he said but not totally understanding it all, and Lois wondered if things could ever be the same again.

* * *

Trying to haul two large file boxes through the revolving door, Lois would almost have fallen down if it weren't for a pair of strong arms catching her.

"Whoa," Clark said, holding her up. "Here, let me get that." Before she could even protest; her co-worker already held one of the heavier boxes she carried in his hands. "You could've called for me, you know. I'm a phone call away."

"Are you telling me you finally got yourself a cell phone?" she quirked an eyebrow skeptically.

Clark sent her a smile that she almost found disarming.

"As a matter of fact, I did. It's a 'Racer' or something like that."

"RAZR," she corrected.

"See what I mean." Holding one box with one hand, he led her aside to a non-revolving door. Then he pulled it open so she could enter first.

Lois rolled her eyes. "My hero," she quipped, passing him.

Clark chuckled. "So what's in here, anyway?" He suddenly stopped in the middle of the lobby and eyed her suspiciously. "It's nothing illegal, is it?"

"Please!" she scoffed as she walked into the elevator.

Clark sighed when she neither confirmed nor denied his question.

* * *

_Ding Dong. _When Lois answered the door, the unexpected visitor on the other side of it surprised her so much that she forgot to let her in. Then it occurred to her that her baby sister rarely needed invitation to walk into her home.

"Lucy, what are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too, sis," Lucy said, making herself at home. "Where's the fiancé?"

"At the office," Lois answered curtly. "So back to my first question…"

Lucy rolled her eyes that mirrored her older sister when she did it. She was only a few years younger than Lois and she made it her mission to be the happy thorn in her side.

"Where's the munchkin?"

"Upstairs."

"Cool." Lucy reached for the TV remote and started channel surfing. "You seriously need to upgrade. What's with all the educational channels?"

Before Lois could answer, they heard heavy steps coming down the stairs and when Lucy turned to see who it was, she was shocked to find an unidentified man there. He was tall, good-looking and _not_ her sister's fiancé.

"And who are you?" Lucy asked aloud sneaking a quick glance at her sister.

"Oh, I'm Clark… Kent," he replied, introducing himself. "I'm Lois's partner at the Planet," he said shaking her hand. He looked over her at Lois and smiled. "Jason's asleep now. We fended off the monsters in his closet with our invisible ray guns."

Lois tried to hold her chuckle while Lucy observed the two curiously.

"Um… well, Lucy, it's good to finally meet you. Your sister hasn't mentioned you… _at all_," he emphasized.

Lucy glared at her sister while simultaneously trying to figure out who this unidentified _hot_ object in the living room was all about. She was beginning to wonder if she was in the right profession if her big sister could meet guys like Richard White and Clark Kent.

When the silence was too much for Clark, he excused himself, telling everyone that it was getting pretty late and that he would see Lois in the morning. Once he was gone, Lois prepared herself for the onslaught of questions her sister would no doubt fire at her… and like she expected, she did.

"Talk about tall, dark and handsome." Lois rolled her eyes as Lucy continued. "Who is he and why haven't I met him before?"

"He's been gone for a few years," Lois offered, albeit reluctantly.

"That would mean that you knew him before that," Lucy said. "Have you known him for years, and you never told me?"

Lois thought about Clark six years ago and was greeted with memories of him tripping, spilling and naturally getting in everybody's way, yet she couldn't help but smile. There was something incredibly endearing about a guy who wasn't afraid to be embarrassed.

"You like him!" Lucy announced taking Lois out of her Clark-filled thoughts.

Of all the things Lois could say at this moment, she chose, "Huh?"

**To be continued… **

Thank you, Barbara for betaing this quickly for me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes**: Thank you Barbara for checking and correcting any errors this chapter has. I don't think I'll ever stop being grateful. And thank you everyone else for the continued interest and comments. It means a lot.

**Chapter 4 **

Lois tried to busy herself in front of her computer by typing up the latest political scandal in Metropolis but instead, her eyes would surreptitiously wander across the room waiting for a certain co-worker to get back to his desk.

She sighed deeply – ever since her sister Lucy planted the seed of possibly liking Clark Kent into her mind, it was all she could think about. Regardless of the troubles she was having with Richard, and with Superman, finding out that she might actually harbor feelings for another man just made her look selfish and completely finicky.

How could she have let this happen? She was only one person.

One minute they were friends, the next, she was admiring him from afar.

_This is ridiculous_, she thought, closing her computer application abruptly and leaving the bullpen at full speed. She didn't even stop to apologize to the poor intern that dropped a massive stack of files to the ground as she made her way out of the office.

By the time she made it onto the roof, she found an unwelcome presence waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, clearly annoyed that she wasn't going to be alone.

"Probably the same reason that you are," he replied, stuffing his hands inside his pants pocket to hide the soot covering his fingers from the building fire that occurred a few miles from there. He had landed a mere few seconds before Lois appeared on the roof.

"I doubt it," she replied acerbically.

Instead of feeling offended by her caustic tone, he took a few steps towards her and said, "Is everything okay, Lois? You seem on edge about something."

If there was anything she disliked about her mild-mannered partner, it was his uncanny ability to pick up on her mood swings, along with his totally sincere demeanor in dealing with it. She could probably stick chewed bubblegum on his chair, and he'd find it amusing instead of irritating.

"Nothing, I just wanted to be alone," she answered with a believability level of zero.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Lois sighed and wished he wasn't always so nice.

"You could do me a favor and give me a moment by myself here." It was at this point where she felt torn. On one hand, keeping her distance might help her deal with her burgeoning feelings for him, and on the other hand, she just simply enjoyed his company and no amount of hating how she felt was going to change that.

"Okay," he said softly.

She looked at him and carefully avoided meeting eye contact. "Thanks."

"Call me if you need anything," he said, slowly disappearing from her view.

Lois took a deep breath, feeling nauseous all of a sudden. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to be fixing her relationship with Richard and figuring out how Superman fit into her life, especially where Jason was concerned. Clark Kent shouldn't be anywhere near her thoughts and ponderings.

"God, I'm an idiot!" she berated herself. The urge to light a cigarette became very tempting.

Then she heard the door open behind her and she spun around ready to give Clark a thrashing for interrupting her moment alone, but instead, it was a different face that met her wrath.

"Perry?"

"You have a minute?" her boss asked. She had a sinking feeling it wasn't a question but she nodded anyway.

"I was just taking a break."

"What exactly is the appeal up here?" he said randomly. "Hell, it's colder up here than on street level." He didn't let her give her two-cents as he continued. "Look, I'm not here to coddle you or anything, but I've been meaning to say a few words to you."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Only a few?"

"Watch it, Lane," he warned almost playfully. "I still approve your paychecks."

Lois tried to smile but she couldn't. She felt this conversation coming long before Superman came back into everyone's lives.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked just to get the ball started. She knew it was about Richard and their rather long engagement.

"It's about Richard."

Score one for her.

"I know it's none of my business, but whatever problems you two are having, they've gotta be addressed."

Had he been anyone else but Perry White, Lois would've told them to 'stick it where the sun don't shine', but since it was, she was more prone to listening to what he had to say.

"I've known you for a long time, Lois, and it's clear as day that this isn't for you, and that's just my personal opinion of the matter."

Automatically, she became defensive.

"Chief, I love Richard."

"I know you do," he replied sadly. "But not enough for you to want to walk down the aisle with him in front of God and say 'I do.'"

Lois wanted to argue with him, yell at him that he was so wrong, but she couldn't. The words refused to come together, and she couldn't speak up. The silence between them spoke volumes and Perry, the veteran of the two of them, nodded in understanding and support.

"I love my nephew as if he were my own son, but you, Lois, you've been like a daughter to me all these years, and I don't want you hurting anymore than him. So please, for my blood pressure and both your happiness, deal with it. You're Lois Lane," he said her name proudly and a momentary burst of strength rose inside of her. "You never do things the easy way."

When he moved closer to take her in his arms like a father did to a child, Lois couldn't help but wrap her arms around him as well and cry. Cry at the indefinable realization that he was right.

"Shhh…" Perry spoke softly, following it with a light kiss on her forehead. "You're going to get through this. You both are."

If he only knew it wasn't just she and Richard who would be hurt by this.

**

* * *

**

Jason munched on his whole wheat cereal while watching his mother go through her closet for something to wear. He got tired of waiting in the kitchen so he asked if he could keep her company while she finished up. Thankfully, he had gotten his wish but now he wasn't so sure it was a good idea.

"Mommy."

"Yes, sweetie," his mother responded absentmindedly. She held up a couple of outfits in front of him. "What do you think?" One hand held up one dress, while the other held another.

Jason stared at his mother's clothes and shrugged, they all looked pretty to him.

"I dunno."

"Pick one."

"That one," he said enthusiastically. "I like that one the best," he pointed to the outfit to her left. "Are you and daddy going to a party?"

His mother sighed. "Something like that." But he didn't understand why she didn't look very happy.

For as long as he could remember, he was always so sensitive to his mother's emotions.

_Ding Dong._

As soon as the doorbell was heard, Jason jumped to his feet and ran downstairs.

"No running in the house!" Lois yelled out to him, but she knew it was no use. Ever since Clark came back into her life, a lot had changed. For one, she had a child of her own, and secondly, that child in question made it his mission to hang out with her long-time friend as much as possible.

It sometimes surprised her the level of comfortability that existed between them. Even in her son's early years, he was always so against being held by another person, especially Richard at first. Eventually, Jason got used to being held by Richard that the only others capable of holding him without getting much of a fuss were her father and Jimmy.

But it seemed though that Jason struck an immediate rapport with Clark, whom, for lack of a better word, had become Jason's own best friend.

The first time she caught the two of them hanging out was at the Planet. She was going to the roof for some fresh air after a long day at work when she found Clark standing behind the ledge holding Jason in his arms as they talked.

_It was another late night at the Daily Planet where most of the senior staff including Jimmy stayed up to work on a story. After two hours in front of a computer, Lois stepped out of the bullpen to get some much needed air. She didn't even notice that two of her companions were missing until she reached the roof and spotted her son with __Clark_

_"What's that up there?" _

_"It's a shooting star," Clark answered softly. _

_"Why is it shooting?" _

_"Well…" Clark chuckled. "When a meteor hits Earth's atmosphere, the meteorite starts to melt and eventually explodes in a bright light." _

_"How come?" _

_"Air friction," Clark explained simply, but it only earned him a little face of utter confusion. He smiled and so did she at their sheer adorableness at watching them interact. _

_"What's that?" _

_"Friction happens when one thing, which in this case, the meteor, meets against something else. Like air." _

"Why?"

Lois remembered hiding behind the door smiling at the sight of an old friend trying to explain the laws of physics to her young son. Jason's constant "Whys" could make any normal – or abnormal – person go crazy, but not Clark. He stood there telling him everything he wanted to know, and she never noticed a moment of impatience or irritation in his body language while he did so.

Clark seemed to genuinely enjoy hanging out with her son, and at first it baffled her. She couldn't remember a time in their previous working relationship where he was exposed to children.

She was suddenly taken out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in."

Clark slowly opened the door and it didn't surprise her that he remained by the door. He was a farmboy and a gentleman to the core.

"Hi, Lois," he said in his normally happy way that he always greeted her with. "I was wondering if you had a spare t-shirt."

It was at that moment she looked up and noticed his dress shirt and jacket was stained with orange juice.

"Oh my God, what happened?" she asked, abruptly stopping whatever she was doing to help Clark. She grabbed a towel in her bathroom and handed it to him. "Did Jason do this?"

"It's okay," he smiled, his eyes filled with amusement. "He was excited."

"Excited to see you, no doubt." She went into her closet and searched through a pile of old clothes. "Here, I think you can use this." It was one of her father's old grey army shirts back in the day.

"Thanks." He awkwardly points down the hall. "The bathroom…"

"Oh, right," she replied, completely distracted. "Yeah, it's the first door before you reach the stairs."

"Thanks," Clark said again before leaving.

Lois fell back on her bed and sighed. "This is a disaster," she muttered to herself before hastily getting up and putting on the outfit her son picked out. When she was done, she exited her room to grab something in the other bathroom completely forgetting that there was someone else in there still.

"Jason!" she called out over her shoulder. She turned the knob to the door and walked in. "Did you take all your—" she stopped dead in her tracks, the thought of asking Jason if he had taken all his medication becoming a distant memory as soon as she caught sight of a shirtless Clark in her bathroom.

Clark turned to her in immediate concern. "Is everything all right?" he looked over her as if he was trying to see if Jason was okay. "Lois." He lightly placed both his hands on her shoulders. "Lois," he repeated worriedly.

"I'm… uh… fine," she stuttered.

Who knew that underneath all those layers of clothing was a man whose body was fit for a God?

"I'm sorry," she added, blinking yet unable to… _Look away for Christ's sake!_ "I… totally… forgot… you were in here."

"Oh," was his uncertain reply. Apparently, not only did he have the most amazing body she had ever seen on a man, but he was completely oblivious to how good-looking he was. "I guess I was taking too long."

"No!" she burst out uncharacteristically. "I'm the klutz, I should've knocked," she provided weakly before taking a huge gulp. "I should go."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Lois remained glued to her spot, looking like she was still trying to recover.

"Lois?"

"Yes?"

"You're still here."

"Oh." She looked around the spacious bathroom and couldn't ignore the humidity that suddenly engulfed the room. "Right. I am. I'm going to go now." She quickly turned and left the bathroom leaving a completely confused Clark behind.

**To be continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: I'm sorry about the extremely long wait for this chapter. I was rereading it and I just noticed that people were still reviewing and that surprised me a bit. I didn't realize the storyline was well received. Let me try to compensate for the delay by updating but adding a little something here before I start going full throttle again. Thank you all for the wonderful comments.

**Chapter 5**

In an attempt to avoid any further embarrassment to her pride and reputation, Lois quickly forced herself to recall every lesson her father, the General, thought her about controlling her wayward emotions. In spite of her well known temper, she'd grown up perfecting the art.

So why is it failing her when she needed it the most?

"Right. I am. I'm going to go now," she said disappearing from Clark's view. If she stayed any longer like a star-struck fool she was liable to admit herself in an asylum for the decadently insane. She was beginning to think she preferred the old Clark, at least she knew how to handle him.

"I'll be out in a moment," she vaguely heard Clark say from behind.

She was going to use that moment to reclaim any left over dignity but that was shot to hell when he came out of the bathroom barely a half minute later. Well, at least he was fully clothed this time, but then the unwanted image of his naked chest popped in her traitorous mind and she couldn't help but sigh deeply at its inconsiderateness.

"Is everything all right, Lois?"

Lois waved his concern off while trying to avoid eye contact. "I'm fine, Clark. I just had a lot on my mind lately." She wished he wasn't so naturally nice all the time.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

_No, not really_ but she couldn't exactly say that in her normally blatant tone. It might give her away, and that, she most certainly will not do. She has enough issues to contend with without adding another.

Damn it! She needed a drink.

* * *

"Kent."

Clark turned at the sound of Richard's voice calling for him, surprised that he was being addressed by the assistant editor.

"Stop by my office for a minute."

Ever since the 'New Krypton' incident, they didn't talk much and the differing relationship they had with Lois kept them at a very professional distance. He had a fairly good guess about what the eventual meeting was going to be about, and he ignored the possibility because he knew himself. He would never disrespect Lois, Jason or the man that took care of them when he selfishly left all those years ago.

"Is there something you need Mr. White?"

* * *

Outside the office, co-workers shamelessly began gossiping.

"You think he has a chance?" Damian from sports asked Candace from society.

"Depends who your rooting for. Kent or White." She looked over the mass of suddenly interested people gathering around them. "Any takers?"

Several people raised their hands and a bevy of bets started accumulating like mosses to a flame.

Everyone who was anyone knew about the love triangle of Lane, Kent and White. Ever since the mild mannered reporter returned from his long-term sojourn overseas, no one, not even the newcomers at the Planet could ignore the obvious camaraderie and chemistry between the powerhouse reporting team of Lane & Kent.

They're practically an institution in the journalism field, even if Clark himself was totally ignorant of the fact.

"What's going on guys?" Jimmy asked after returning from the dark room printing out his black and white photos of Superman at yet another rescue.

"Placing bets on K & W."

"What's that?"

"Kent and White, kid." One man clarified. "Where have you been?"

Jimmy blinked before processing what was going on. "Ooooh."

"You in?"

"Okay."

* * *

In the office, Richard didn't know what to make of Clark Kent. On one hand, he could be the clumsiest person he'd ever met, on the other hand; he was a hell of a reporter. He'd swallowed his ego weeks ago and began reading Kent's past and present articles, even the ones that included Lois on the byline.

So on top of feeling like he was becoming a third wheel in a relationship that should've been solid, he was becoming increasingly jealous at the level of skill the reporter from Smallville, Kansas possessed in spades. He wouldn't be surprised that if Kent hadn't left, his Uncle Perry would have probably given the assistant editor seat to him.

"Is there something that you needed, Mr. White?"

"I don't really know how to begin."

"Sometimes, starting from the beginning helps," Clark offered but it was clear that Richard couldn't hide the mounting tension between them.

"Easier said than done."

"If you're concerned about me and Lois, I assure you Mr. White, we're only friends."

Richard was more the surprised to find that Clark read his mind. "What makes you think this is about Lois?" Then he noticed all the articles he'd been reading from Kent displayed all over his desk and he cursed himself for being careless. "Look, Kent. I don't deny that you're a good reporter…" calling him great would just salt the wound. "But I called you in here to ask a favor, and perhaps an offer you'd like to take."

When Clark didn't respond Richard had no choice but to continue. "There's a position open in London that would suit you and your credentials. With your experience abroad and with the Planet here, you can make an excellent international correspondent for the paper."

"Are you offering me a job overseas?"

Richard took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Because of Lois." It wasn't a question.

Clark's calm and direct stare was making him uneasy. "You have to admit, it's a good offer and the pays even better," Richard said.

"Mr. White, I just got back–"

The fact that Kent didn't look angry didn't bode well for him. "I know that, but I'm giving you an opportunity of a lifetime."

"I hardly call manipulating me into leaving an opportunity, sir."

Richard stared as if unsure if he was still talking to the same Clark Kent that dipped his tie in coffee just this morning. It was becoming glaringly obvious that there was more to the man that the persona that greeted them every day at the office, and that perhaps, Lois knew it too.

"I thought I'd mention it just in case you were interested," he offered by way of consolation. Richard wasn't ready for this conversation, not by a long shot and he knew he was tipping the scales on Clark's side by continuing this to bait him when it was clear he wouldn't bite.

"Thank you, sir."

When Clark left his office, Richard sighed dejectedly. Not only was he losing Lois but he was rapidly losing his own objectivity. He didn't want to be the jealous boyfriend, but after Lois told him about Superman and just how close they were, how could he positively compete with a man like that… and now Clark?

He didn't know what to do.

**To be continued…**


End file.
